MPG tanking as of late. Injectors?

2003, 111k. 2.4L 5 speed 4x2 base cab. Significant drop in MPG over the last 5 months. Well maintained. Recent Toyota plugs, doesn’t burn oil, idles smooth, no knocking, misfires. All the usual other things looked after. Thing is, I am economically strapped and have a habit of running the tank to empty and buying cheap gas. Ran some Techron injector cleaner twice. No improvement. I’m now considering the injectors as the culprit. Anyone concur, even tho smooth performance? Gonna have them professionally cleaned. Will they inspect them and tell me they’re worn, or just clean them? Any advice about both the plunge in MPG and having them serviced? New fuel filter for sure? Please, no DIY advice, except to put a screwdriver to them and listen.

 

Send the injectors off to motor west to be rebuilt=125.00

 

OK…IF I find a good reputation shop. Costs $90 at chain shops just for a cleaning and probably not much else.

 

What is considered bad mpg or worse then before? Mileage difference?

 

Where are you located? Between winter fuel and taking longer to warm up winter can take a toll on mileage.

... nevermind I see palm trees behind your truck.

 

5 MPG less. Blows my mind other posters posting exclaiming their MPG went down from 25.8 MPG to a shocking 24.8 MPG.

 

Not a winter gas thing. Runs smooth…5 MPG less. Trying to figure it out.

 

Did you notice that it changed suddenly or has it degraded over time?

 

I would get a 5-8 mpg difference from winter to summer in Portland depending on humidity and temperatures. Summer was ~ 24 mpg winter was ~ 17-19 mpg.
Check your tire pressure too.

 

It'd still run smooth on a winter blend. If it's running good, not throwing a code. (Smell the exhaust does it smell like gas?) I might suspect dragging a brake, or not shifting into a higher gear, a change in commute, tire pressures, or an engine temperature sensor.

 

Could be a wheel bearing starting to go bad or maybe a brake dragging from a caliper locking up. I’d just check all bearings: Every component of the belt drive, jack up the truck and spin all 4 wheels and u joints. Not all bearings seizing up will squeal.

 

Relatively short time, last 15 fillups. Thought about it being something major, but the overall performance seems good, giving me no other indication.
I may settle this by elimination. Have 111k mile injectors rebuilt, then go from there. Who knows? They may still be good and it’s something else.

I gots no tools, so…

 

I recently noticed a mpg drop from putting a LT kit on I usually get 14-16 now I get like 13.5

 

The only way to kinda check your injectors at home is to do an ohm test on them. If you have a good enough code reader that can do active graphing, you could chart what your long term and short term fuel trims are doing. IMO that would be kinda pointless since you didn't do it while you were getting the better mileage so you have no base line to compare any current readings to.

Even if your injectors pass an ohm test, that's only the electrical side of it. You would need to getthem flow tested, and if you pay for that you might as well pay to rebuild em. The company posted earlier is a reputable company that rebuilds and flow tests for 125. They send you flow test results when they ship em back

 

Ya. Got it. That place you mentioned isn’t nationwde. At 111k miles and my history of cheap gas and running the tank to empty the last 6 months, and sudden fall in MPG, your advice is noted. MPG before was pretty solid 18.5-23MPG. I was more than happy with that. 15-20 now. Otherwise, runs fine. No super obvious signs.

 

You run 5w30? Change the pcv valve. Last time you adjusted the valves? I would buy an obd reader that reads live data can show you whays going on in real time. Could also be the engine or tranny working harder idk. I doubt its the fuel injectors. I get xheap gas aswell 87 octane in Los Angeles but I only use Arco gas. I refus ti get thise weird shops like “Fill&Chill” those no name brands are cheap for a reason and the reason I get from Arco is cus its cheap but its a brand and if something acts up in my fuel and ither customers vehicles a big name brand is more likely to cover the costs than take a brand hit. I would just check the maintenence log lists and if everythinfs okay, no pending codes, look inder the hood, under the truck and if its all good i would just not worry about it. Fwiw my 97 4banger auto reg cab 4x4 fully built gets 16mpgcity 17hwy ik yours is the 2wd, apples to oranges. Oh check your tire psi, make sure brakes aint rubbing?

 

I'll be watching this. I have an 03 DC that has lost mpg also. Truck runs just fine, and no codes are being thrown. For now, I'm going to blame winter blend gas, and see what happens to my mpg later this spring and summer.

 

Possible…Passible..not 5 MPG loss. Take that in mind. Did I have a brake job recently? No. Something needs attention to, only…no obvious signs. Thanks all, my next step are the fuel injector rebuild. By elimination, I’ll go from there, when I can afford it.

 

X2

I changed my MAF sensor in September and feel like mine dropped to around 15 even before I put lift and tires on. It’s a denso replacement but idk doesn’t seem right to be getting nearly 12 to the gallon in mine.

With LT265-75 and 1.5” lift all round should that cause my mileage to go so low?

 

The cold weather itself shrinks the molecules in the fuel and plays a significant role in your fuel efficiency this time of year, especially if you warm your truck up and it idles for 10-20 minutes before driving like in the colder northern part of the country. Have you guys checked your air filter and cleaned the MAF sensor? I would start with the simple stuff.